Health and Environmental Investigator III

King County•Chinook Building 401 5th Avenue Seattle, WA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Food and Facilities Program is seeking a skilled and dedicated Health & Environmental Investigator III for its Water Recreational Program. The position manages and assesses risks from sewage release events that may affect recreational waters and shellfish harvest areas, and supports freshwater and marine beach monitoring and shellfish sampling programs. The investigator works with local utilities, cities, Washington State agencies, other partners, King County Communications, and internal program leadership and staff. The position also reviews plans for new and remodeled water recreation facilities, issues construction permits for approved plans, performs pre-operational inspections, provides technical assistance, and responds to water recreation complaints, service requests, and investigations. The role includes analyzing laboratory results, coordinating public-health signage and sampling, maintaining records, developing and updating program materials, and supporting staff training and interagency program activities. The work is full time, 40 hours per week, and overtime eligible. The normal schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; work outside those hours, including evenings, nights, and weekends, may be required. Alternate schedules may be considered after successful completion of probation. Work is predominantly hybrid, with most work performed in the field at locations throughout King County. The primary base office is the Chinook Building in downtown Seattle. Employees must reside in Washington State within a reasonable distance of their King County worksite and maintain a reliable home internet connection and workspace. A County-issued laptop is provided. This recruitment may establish an eligibility pool for additional Career Service, Term-Limited Temporary, or Special Duty Assignment vacancies over the following six months. The selected candidate must maintain required licenses and certifications in active status, pass a background investigation and pre-employment physical, and comply with applicable privacy, workplace safety, training, and immunization requirements.

Requirements

Within six months of hire, obtain Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian (REHS/RS) credentialing from the National Environmental Health Association or the Washington State Board of Registered Sanitarians; maintain required credentials in active status.
Hold a valid Washington State driver's license.
Demonstrated experience conducting routine inspections and comprehensive plan reviews for water recreation facilities for compliance with water recreation codes.
Knowledge of environmental health principles and federal, state, or local environmental health regulations, codes, or policies.
Ability to research and draft program policies, procedures, correspondence, and technical reports.
Ability to respond to and manage sewage releases and overflow events by analyzing and interpreting data, guiding decisions, and making recommendations to agency partners.
Ability to conduct marine and freshwater beach monitoring and shellfish sampling activities, including interpreting laboratory results, coordinating signage and sampling, handling complaints, and performing risk assessments.
Ability to apply equity and social justice principles in local government programs.
Cultural competence working with diverse populations across race, ethnicity, gender, ability, age, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status.
Ability to facilitate meetings and present to audiences of varied sizes and backgrounds.
Ability to work effectively with the public, program staff, and other agencies and to contribute to committees and work groups that resolve issues and develop long-term program evaluation and planning recommendations.
Proficiency with computer systems and Microsoft Office, and with database or planning/design software.
Ability to build and maintain professional relationships with staff in different levels of government and across disciplines.
Ability to navigate uncertainty and make sound decisions by gathering and analyzing data, understanding legal frameworks and stakeholder interests, and working with leadership.
Ability to communicate effectively, maintain reliable attendance, and develop effective working relationships.
Ability to protect the privacy and security of protected health information and comply with OSHA/WISHA requirements, including required training and immunizations.
Ability to pass a background investigation and pre-employment physical.

Nice To Haves

Experience conducting inspections and pre-operational inspections of water recreation facilities.
Experience responding to and managing sewage releases and overflow events.
Experience with marine and freshwater beach monitoring and shellfish sampling programs.
Experience issuing food or water recreation construction permits for approved plans.
Experience working in a highly collaborative government program or coalition.
Established effective working relationships with partner agencies.
Bilingual in a common non-English language in King County, such as Spanish, Arabic, Somali, Hindi, Punjabi, Chinese, Vietnamese, or Korean.
Experience with permitting and licensing software such as Tyler EPL and Bluebeam.

Responsibilities

Conduct comprehensive plan reviews for new and remodeled water recreation facilities to ensure compliance with applicable water recreation codes.
Issue construction permits for approved water recreation facility plans.
Maintain and evaluate EH portal service website drain-cover replacement submittals.
Complete pre-operational inspections of water recreation facilities.
Manage sewage release and overflow notifications, assess contamination risks to the public, and review and follow up on Ecology Reporting and Tracking System reports.
Coordinate sewage-release response with local utilities, management, communications staff, county officials, and the Washington State Department of Ecology BEACH Program.
Track data and maintain records of sewage releases and overflow events.
Support marine and freshwater beach monitoring and shellfish sampling programs, including analyzing laboratory results for bacteria and toxic algal blooms.
Coordinate beach signage with King County Water and Land Resources Division, the Washington State Department of Ecology BEACH Program, and local parks.
Manage complaints about beach closures and warnings; coordinate sampling schedules and resamples with the King County lab; and conduct risk assessments to recommend appropriate signage.
Coordinate with the Washington State Department of Health Shellfish Program and local parks on signage for recreational shellfish harvesting areas based on laboratory results.
Provide training and technical support to staff.
Update protocols, information, and forms on the Water Recreational Program website.
Participate in program activities and investigations with the Washington State Department of Health Water Recreation Program and Public Health—Seattle & King County Prevention Division Communicable Disease Investigators.
Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.